Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Only the Good
A friend of mine told me that he's recently excised Billy Joel's Only the Good Die Young from his music library. He says that despite its catchy beat, the message of the song just doesn't meet his moral standards, and he's searching through his mp3s for other songs that need to be cut as well.
On one level, I empathize with the guy. I mean, I'm as much a proponent of good, uplifting music as the next prude. And I think it's very clear what the character in OTGDY wants: premarital sex (the girl he's talking to isn't named "Virginia" for nothing!). Certainly I would rather cry with the saints than laugh with the sinners.
Yet the song is staying in my music library (at least for now), largely because I don't think it's doing much harm there. Listening to a character try to seduce a chaste girl doesn't necessarily make me want to do the same. I don't necessarily believe that all references to sinful acts should be excised from the art I partake of. After all, isn't Virginia a good example for me? There's no indication that she ever gives in. Although the song portrays one evil person, it also portrays one very righteous person.
Still, I can't help but wonder: Am I fooling myself? If OTGDY isn't a song with a bad message, what is? Gosh, I'd better stick to instrumental jazz.
On one level, I empathize with the guy. I mean, I'm as much a proponent of good, uplifting music as the next prude. And I think it's very clear what the character in OTGDY wants: premarital sex (the girl he's talking to isn't named "Virginia" for nothing!). Certainly I would rather cry with the saints than laugh with the sinners.
Yet the song is staying in my music library (at least for now), largely because I don't think it's doing much harm there. Listening to a character try to seduce a chaste girl doesn't necessarily make me want to do the same. I don't necessarily believe that all references to sinful acts should be excised from the art I partake of. After all, isn't Virginia a good example for me? There's no indication that she ever gives in. Although the song portrays one evil person, it also portrays one very righteous person.
Still, I can't help but wonder: Am I fooling myself? If OTGDY isn't a song with a bad message, what is? Gosh, I'd better stick to instrumental jazz.
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